Fox Sports executives are said to be “struggling” to find a new conversation partner for Skip Bayless following Shannon Sharpe’s departure from “Undisputed” last month, as the show will go on a two-month hiatus.
The US sports network has announced that Bayless and his show will not return until August 28 on FS1, giving producers time to evaluate what’s next for the weekday debate TV show, according to Front Office Sports (FOS).
On Wednesday, Bayless offered some sort of explanation for his morning show’s absence from the air, tweeting, “LeBron isn’t the only one in the lab this summer. I can’t wait to reveal “Undisputed” just in time for football season.”
However, the sports commentator’s two-month absence from US TVs has more to do with Fox Sports’ inability to field a replacement Sharpe – one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history – than anything else, FOS sources reported.
Potential successors to Sharpe, who co-hosted “Undisputed” for the past seven years, include several TV personalities fired by ESPN in June, such as Keyshawn Johnson and Max Kellerman.
Fox Sports Is Desperately Trying To Find A New Talking Partner For Skip Bayless On ‘Undisputed’
The American sports network is shutting down Bayless’ show from its channel until August 28
Shannon Sharpe left ‘Undisputed’ after seven years as the show’s co-host, from 2016-2023
FS1 bigwigs LeSean McCoy, Nick Wright, Emmanuel Acho and Joy Taylor are also in the running for the hot seat against the much outspoken Bayless, according to FOS.
The role is said to take out plenty of on-air talent as well, as Bayless is supposed to have the final say on all things ‘Undisputed’. The 71-year-old is desperate to get his show back on TV and even begged the much-adored Charles Barkley to take Sharpe’s place, describing him as his “dream debate partner.”
However, Barkley doesn’t seem interested in the position, even calling Bayless an “idiot” last week.
“I want one of those jobs where I can get a buyout for working with an idiot,” the basketball Hall of Famer said of Sharpe’s departure from “Undisputed.” during TNT’s coverage of The Match. ‘What do you think Ernie? Do you think I can get a buyout for working with Shaq?’
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To make matters worse, Sharpe’s replacement will have to succumb to two things: being paid less than Bayless and not having as much say in the show’s direction as the former ESPN analyst.
It’s also widely believed that Bayless doesn’t want to work with anyone other than his former debating partner, Stephen A. Smith, the host of ESPN’s “First Take.”
Smith and Bayless worked together on ESPN from 2012-2016, until the latter’s departure to get his own show on Fox Sports.
Therefore, all things considered, Fox Sports executives can’t move forward with ‘Undisputed’ for now, according to FOS sources.
Bayless wants TNT’s Charles Barkley to join him as his new conversation partner on Fox Sports 1
Bayless is also keen to reunite with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who he worked with from 2012-2016
“Shannon’s exit was much quicker than they expected. So they had no choice but to go on hiatus,” a source said. Skip has never done anything like this in all his years at FS1 or ESPN. Not being on the air during all those NBA moves is killing him.”
Another reason for Bayless’ absence from TV for the next two months may have to do with the show’s one-on-one debate format.
Producers are said to be considering whether to completely rename “Undisputed” as a whole, and could be inspired by Smith’s “First Take” format, which features the ESPN personality debate against a wide variety of Chris’ Mad Dog guests. Russo. to Kendrick Perkins.
If so, the show’s remodeling could pose a challenge to Bayless, which has followed the same debate structure for as long as sports fans can remember.
For now, Fox Sports is losing ground to ESPN in terms of popularity, with “First Take’s” audiences amassing an estimated 421,000 viewers — 2.7 times more than “Undisputed’s” 154,000 viewers.
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